Spinach Loaded Falafel

Spinach Loaded Falafel

Adapted from Spilling the Beans, by Van Rosendaal and Duncan

Ingredients

1   15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

½ yellow onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 c fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

1 tsp cumin

dash dried red chili flakes

¼ c flour (or cooked quinoa to make gluten free)

1 tsp baking powder

olive oil

Directions

1. Place the chickpeas, onion, garlic, spinach, cumin and chili flakes in a food processor or blender. Pulse until chunky.
2. Add flour/quinoa and baking powder and pulse until just combined. The mixture should be soft, but not sticky. Add a tad more flour if needed.
3. Using your hands, form the mixture into balls, then slightly flatten. I usually make about 12 with this recipe. Place falafel on a plate lined with wax paper. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
4. When ready to cook, lightly coat a large skillet with oil. Cook falafel for 3-4 minutes per side, turning when nicely browned.
5. Serve! We like ours with halved cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumber, hummus and tzatziki. Sometimes we stuff all those ingredients into a pita or lettuce wrap, sometimes we make a “bowl” and just dig in with a fork.

Notes

-You can make this without spinach.

-You can double the batch and freeze the uncooked falafel for an easy meal on a future busy day.

-My friend Dawn turned me on to this great Tzatziki recipe! Its delicious, easy and lasts a few days in the fridge. 

Creamy Asparagus Soup

Cooking asparagus for dinner? 

Double your batch and make this quick soup the next day. 

Creamy Asparagus Soup

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 pound asparagus, cooked soft

3-4 c low-sodium vegetable broth

½ tsp ground pepper

½ cup milk of choice (dairy, heavy cream, unsweetened almond, soy milk, etc.) 

1 tsp lemon juice

Directions

1. If your asparagus is still whole, cut into 1-2” pieces.

2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until starting to brown, 8-10 minutes. Add asparagus, 3 cups broth, and pepper. Reduce heat to simmer.

3. Once soup has simmered 5 minutes, remove from heat. Use immersion blender to puree in pot, or blend in batches in a blender or food processor (be sure to vent to let steam escape). Add more broth if you'd like the soup to be thinner. 

4. Return soup to pot and heat until just steaming. Turn off heat and stir in milk, then lemon juice. Enjoy hot or warm/room temperature.

Does this soup look familiar? I hope so! It's nearly the same as the Sweet Potato Soup. Really...you can make almost any vegetable soup using this recipe. Try it with broccoli, squash or even carrots. 

Warm Breakfast Quinoa

Warm Breakfast Quinoa (“KEEN wa”)

Adapted from 101Cookbooks.com

Ingredients

1 c water

1 c milk of choice (dairy, almond, soy)

1 c quinoa

Toppings: cinnamon, real maple syrup, agave, berries, nuts, seeds, dry fruit, granola, etc.

Directions

Add water, milk and quinoa to a large saucepan, preferably a wide shallow pan with sides but a pot will do. Bring to boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes. All the liquid will absorb so keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.

Once liquid is absorbed remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. To serve, top with fruit, nuts and seeds, and a little sweetener of your choice.

I usually have this warmed, but it’s good cold. This dish makes great leftovers, so cook it up on a Sunday for quick, healthy breakfasts all week! My favorite topping combo is cinnamon, blueberries, chia seed, pumpkin seeds, pecans and a drizzle of real maple syrup.

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Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Adapted from Food Network Kitchen

Ingredients

Dressing:

¾ c extra virgin olive oil

1 T honey

2 T red wine vinegar

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp whole grain mustard

Salad:

½ pound Brussels sprouts

¼ cup dried fruit (like cherries, currants, blueberries or cranberries)

1 crisp apple, diced

¼ c sliced almonds

Directions

1.     Mix dressing ingredients in a large bowl with a fork or whisk.

2.     Wash and shave the Brussels sprouts using the shredding plate on a food processor or sliced very thin using a chef’s knife. Add to dressing and toss to coat.

3.     Add remaining ingredients to bowl and mix.

4.     Serve salad right away or store in fridge. Keeps for 1-2 days. The sprouts got a tad soggy on day 2.